Fig. 3

Cacna2d1 is involved in regulating the release of nociceptive neurotransmitters. A Experimental timeline. In the fourth week of the rat OA model, the AAV specifically knocked down Cacna2d1 by intrathecal injection. AAV-C is as control. Pain thresholds were assessed weekly. B AAV-shRNA- Cacna2d1 rats increased the pain thresholds from 7th week to 10th compared with AAV-C rats. n = 6 rats/group, repeated measures analysis of variance, Tukey and Bonferroni tests was used as a post hoc test. C–D Representative images of immunofluorescence (scale bar = 200 um) and quantification of Vglut2, SP, c-Fos in the posterior horn of the spinal cord. n = 6/group. The independent sample T test was used for comparison, and Levene's test for homogeneity of variance. *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001 as indicated. E Representative Safranin-O staining image (scale bar = 100 μm) and Mankin score (n = 6/group). The independent sample T-test was used for comparison, and Levene's test for homogeneity of variance. **P < 0.01 as indicated. Blue staining for bone and red staining for cartilage tissue